‘The author Kevin Barry chose not one but two of Caoilinn Hughes’ stories as his prizewinners in this year’s Moth Short Story Prize, which he judged anonymously. Psychobabble takes first prize, and is, according to Barry, “a story that walks a difficult road in terms of its tone or note – it’s a dark situation dealt with not lightly but with an effervescence in the line, in the sentence-making, and it’s this vivacity that elevates the piece above the rest. It’s both poignant and very funny, emotional yet sardonic. The writer has great control.”’

You can read Caoilinn’s winning story, ‘Psychobabble’ here.

You can read her third placed story, ‘Standard Deviation’ here.

And poet and fiction writer, Tracey Slaughter, came 2nd with ‘Postcards are a Thing of the Past’.

Tracey Slaughter’s Postcards are a Thing of the Past, which won second prize, is “a narrative that shows the boundless possibilities of the short story as a form – it could be described almost as a kind of erotic travelogue, but the important movement is internal, or within,” said Barry. “It’s about the heart, essentially, and there is real intensity in the writing, and some astonishing jolts in the language.”

You can read Tracey’s story here.

The three winning stories appear in the autumn issue of The Moth, available to purchase in select bookshops and online

Victoria University of Wellington’s International Institute of Modern Letters (IIML) is delighted to announce the appointment of the Emerging Pasifika Writer in Residence for 2019.

Leki Jackson-Bourke, a South Auckland-based playwright of Tongan, Niuean and Samoan descent, will take up the Residency in 2019. He will use the time to complete his play For the Likes—a script about an insecure Tongan girl who seeks validation by attempting to go viral online.

Leki’s writing aims to address issues in the Pacific community and has a growing following in schools. His work includes Inky Pinky Ponky (co-written with Amanaki Prescott Faleatau) and Pring It On.

Leki says of the Residency: “This is an important moment in my journey as a young Pacific story-teller because of the responsibilities and duties that come with it. My next work aims to give space to the Pacific youth voice—a voice that I feel is currently misrepresented in the mainstream media.”

IIML Director Professor Damien Wilkins says the Residency attracted a large number of strong applications across different genres, confirming the range and quality of work from emerging Pacific writers of all ages.

Victoria University of Wellington’s Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Pasifika) Dame Luamanuvao Winnie Laban says: “It is amazing to see the breadth and depth of talent of our emerging Pasifika writers. Congratulations to Leki Jackson-Bourke on this opportunity to undertake your residency with the University’s International Institute of Modern Letters and to be taught and mentored by some of New Zealand’s best writers.”

Leki will receive a stipend of $15,000 to write and research his play at the IIML for three months, and will be mentored by leading playwright Victor Rodger. “Leki Jackson-Bourke is at the forefront of the new wave of Pasifika voices. His work is as fresh and irreverent as it is relevant,” says Mr Rodger.

Professor Wilkins says, “The large number of strong applications shows the need for this Residency. We’re delighted to have the generous support of the University and Creative New Zealand.”